South Africa's LGBTQIA network, reports that Three Lions Pride, the official LGBT+ supporters' group for England's national football teams, has announced it will boycott the 2026 FIFA Men's World Cup. The group cites grave concerns for the safety and human rights of queer fans in the United States, which is set to host the majority of the tournament's matches.
The 2026 World Cup will be staged across the US, Canada and Mexico from 11 June to 19 July. In a forceful statement, Three Lions Pride said the event was once viewed as a unique opportunity for LGBT+ supporters to experience a major tournament without fear, but that this optimism has now been "well and truly shattered".
The group pointed to what it described as a significant deterioration of LGBT+ rights in the United States, particularly for transgender people. It highlighted a rollback of legal protections and increased hostility under the current Trump administration as primary reasons for its decision.
"As ever, our primary concern is about the safety of our members and queer fans worldwide," the statement read. It warned of distinct risks for different parts of the community, expressing fear that trans individuals would face a high risk of violence and discrimination, while butch lesbians could be impacted by anti-trans legislation concerning bathrooms.
"This is unsafe and unacceptable," the group stated. Consequently, Three Lions Pride confirmed it will not attend the tournament as a visible, organised group. It will, however, continue to offer remote advice and support, including emergency contact information, to any fans who do travel.
Ending its statement on a note of profound disappointment, the group said the tournament "had so much promise" and that FIFA President Gianni Infantino "should feel ashamed".
